So... Think you know Fargo? Think you know what makes us tick? Ohhh, yaaa, suuure ya do! Read up so you can spot a true Fargoan the next time you find one of us.

1. Home of the three-time defending National Championship NDSU Bison Football team (that's pronounced biZZZon, BTW).

(Fun fact: the artist behind "Tigalo" works at Swanson!) 

 

2. BBQ can sometimes mean sloppy joes. Be prepared to eat either when arriving at a potluck.

 

3. In Fargo, dinner means supper and lunch means dinner. Don’t confuse us.

 

4. Brunch is also a big deal in Fargo. We basically just love food here.

 

5. People in Fargo receive emails about going to the Sons of Norway for lunch because it's liver and onions day... and they are actually excited to go.

 

6. When summer arrives in Fargo, it goes a little something like this:

 

7. Alas, summer doesn't last long in Fargo.

 

8. Winter is coming. For real.

 

9. When it hits, expect multiple layers.

 

10. You may also find people combining coats with shorts, because logic.

 

11. Socks are acceptable year-round. Yes, even with sandals.

 

12. It's normal to switch from air conditioning to heat in the same day.

 

13. Think your car is safe outside in winter? Think again.

 

14. Plan on waking up at least 10 minutes early on those icy mornings.

 

15. Snow day in Fargo? Indeed.

 

16. Zero degrees is a “little chilly” or “not bad without the wind" in Fargo. Anywhere else, well...

 

17. While summer weekends are dedicated to going to the lake, winter weekends are for sleeping.

 

18. Or disappearing from people, because doing anything with anyone would involve someone going outside.

 

19. Or travel. We really like to get away when it's cold outside.

 

20. That's why our tiny airport (seriously, five gates) consists of non-stop flights to places like Orlando, Las Vegas and Phoenix.

 

21. But don't worry, we don't all hate winter in Fargo. In fact, some of us rather enjoy it.

 

22. Tell strangers you’re from Fargo, and they say, “Do you put people in wood chippers there?"

 

23. Speaking of wood chippers, both the movie and TV show "Fargo" were/are filmed primarily in Minnesota/Canada, but that doesn’t stop people from believing it’s all “based on a true story."

 

24. Bill Clinton admitted to regularly watching "Fargo" on Air Force One during his presidency. He told a crowd of Fargoans this once, clearly not knowing about #23 above.

 

25. Just to be clear, Fargo is located in NORTH Dakota. Not South Dakota.

 

26. Not Minnesota.

 

27. Not Montana.

 

28. And definitely not Canada. We're in the USA, people.

 

29. Like Canadians, Fargoans give vowels more syllables. It’s not “oh,” it’s “ooOOOh.”

 

30. We regularly use "oh for" (pronounced "oh fer") in conversation. Oh for cute! Oh for funny! Oh for nice!

31. We use the classic "Uff Da!" and "You betcha!" when appropriate. It's okay if you don't know what those mean.

 

32. Canadians end their sentences in "eh”; we end ours in "then." For instance, "Let's go to the store, then.” Also, "Are you going, then?”

 

33. If you're "headed out" somewhere (to the mall, for example) and invite someone else along, you simply ask "Go with?"

 

34. It’s bEg, people, not bAg. I don't care how you spell it. It's not what it looks like.

 

35. We basically have our own language.

 

36. “Rush hour” is another way of saying it took us an extra 5-10 minutes to get home, but we still get plenty annoyed!

 

37. Up here we call casseroles “hot dishes.” And hotdish isn't an adjective. It's a noun. Sometimes a proper noun. Say it loud. Say it proud. "I'm bringin' Hotdish!" 

 

38. Deer opener is considered a minor holiday and an excuse to miss school.

 

39. You can leave your purse, phone and car keys at the table when you go to the restroom without any worry.

 

40. In Fargo, a stranger will gladly help you shovel out your car, fix your flat tire or give you a jump. But don’t try to tip him for his trouble. That would be offensive.

 

41. Our relatives start juicy bits of gossip with the phrase, "Well, of course you know ____" or "Of course you heard about ____". These stories are almost always pointless and have nothing to do with anything, but let them tell you about it anyway. They feel accomplished, and that's what counts.

 

42. Fargo residents love striking up conversations with strangers. Come prepared with stories and hugs.

 

43. A true Fargoan can pick out a random stranger and instantly become “old friends” by working through which relative’s neighbor’s babysitter happened to date your cousin’s fifth grade teacher from “back home.”

 

44. It’s easy to become friends with a Fargoan. Just say hello. We’ll handle the rest.

 

45. Seriously, we're really nice here.